Survival in the Mountains: Revised
by Countrygirl09
Summary: A new and improved version of my story from a few years ago.  On their way back from spending Christmas with Sydney's parents in California, Sydney and Gage's plane crashes, leaving them stranded in the Rocky Mountains. Better description inside.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey Walker fans! It's been a really long time since I've written for you guys and I hope there's still some of you out there. In the past year or so things have been very hectic and I've all but stopped writing for anything but recently I really wanted to get started again. I started going back through old stories for inspiration but the only thing I found myself wanting to do was revise those stories. _Survival in the Mountains_ was one story I wasn't ever really satisfied with. So here's my new and improved version. I took the old reviews into consideration and made this longer and hopefully better. So without further adieu, here's the first chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Summary: Sydney and Gage are flying back from Christmas with Syd's family and Julie when their plane crashes in Colorado. Will they survive the harsh Rocky Mountain weather with no way to contact the nearest town 100 miles away?

**Survival in the Mountains: Revised Edition  
**

Chapter 1

"Oh come on Gage," Sydney was saying, "You must have eaten at least six pies in the last two days."

"No way, Syd; the most I ate was three, three and a half at the most," Gage protested causing Sydney to snicker.

"And you call that control? Two of them were at my parents' house alone."

Gage and Sydney were on their way back from California where Syd's parents lived in a rather small but charming house. They'd purchased it two years before when they moved from Texas after retiring from their lifelong careers, Sydney's mom as a school teacher and her father as the town's judge.

Before that they had been with Julie, Gage's sister in Fort Worth for a few days. She was still an investigative reporter and gaining more and more recognition for her pieces. She also had a new boyfriend, who shockingly was able to gain Gage's approval with little trouble.

Now the two were in a small puddle-jumper of a plane, piloted by Gage, and thoroughly enjoying teasing each other about the little things that had happened over the course of their week-long vacation.

"I was just trying to give my regards to the cook. You know, your mom is amazing in the kitchen."

"Wow, Gage, was that almost a compliment?"

Gage shook his head. "I was so close to extending that 'almost' compliment to your own cooking skills but after that remark, I think I'm just going to forget it."

Sydney laughed. "I think I can handle it. I'm pretty confident with my culinary expertise, which I'm positive extends way beyond the various kinds of toast." When he didn't shoot back an additional comeback, Sydney knew she'd finally bested Gage in that discussion.

Out of things to say for the moment, they lapsed into a quiet but comfortable silence. Sydney turned her head to look out the window at the scenery rushing by below them. She was a little disappointed that they were heading home. Things were only going to return to normal and another year would soon end without things happening between her and Gage like she so desperately wanted. They were so close to finally admitting their feelings to each other and Sydney knew it would only take a few more days alone together for that to happen. _Too bad that's not going to happen_, she thought unhappily.

* * *

They had only been in the air for about an hour when Gage realized that something wasn't right. The plane had started acting strangely but all the gages showed that everything was working normally. Determined to keep from scaring Sydney, he kept his worries to himself but then the plane began sputtering. Before they knew it, the engine quit and refused to restart, no matter how many times Gage tried to coax it to work. It was then that they both realized they were in desperate need of help. As each second passed the plane was losing more and more altitude and there was no sign of anywhere to land. It was all trees.

"Gage, what are we going to do?" Sydney asked with worry evident in her voice.

"It's okay Syd. It'll all be okay. I just have to find somewhere to safe to put this thing down and then we can figure out what to do next." With one glance in her direction Gage saw that his attempts to calm her nerves were failing horribly. He tried a different approach. "Syd, why don't you try radioing someone so we can get some help?"

Sydney tried but no one was answering her pleas. They were too far out and their radio couldn't reach anyone or anything. She looked helplessly in her partner's direction but saw he wasn't paying any attention. He was just staring out the windshield, his grip so tight on the yoke that his knuckles were turning white. Sydney followed his gaze and realized the problem. They were dangerously low; the tops of the trees were so close that she was sure she could just reach down and touch them.

Just then the steering failed and Gage lost all control of the already unresponsive plane. They were going down, fast, right into the middle of all those trees. "Sydney, get down!" he shouted, "We're going to crash!"

Sydney screamed and ducked down, trying to take up as little space as possible, as Gage tried one last time to restart the plane or at least control the landing but it was too late. As he too covered his head, they hit the ground, crashing through trees as if they were nothing but twigs for what seemed like forever until the plane finally crashed into a huge tree, one the size of four trees put together. The abrupt stop was enough to force both rangers into the dashboard, knocking both unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters. I may be able to write these stories but I'm no where creative enough to make up people as great as the Texas Rangers of Company B.

A/N: Thanks for the feedback! It's great to know that there are still people who were reading my stories. Also, for any of you who are wondering, I have deleted the original version of this story.

Chapter 2

After about five minutes, Gage finally started coming to. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and the first thing he realized was the pain in his left wrist. "Damn that hurts," he muttered. "What happened anyway?" After a few seconds it hit him: the crash. "Syd." he remembered his beloved partner and looking beside, him he saw her.

She was slouched over in her seat, her head dangling uselessly. There was blood oozing out of a gash on her forehead. Gage could see her chest moving, so he knew she was alive but she was still unconscious. "Syd? Syd! Come on wake up!" Gage begged. She was clearly injured and the only way to find out how badly was to wake her. As he lightly shook her, she moaned. Slowly she started coming around but she was very disoriented.

"Gage? What happened? Where are we?" she asked groggily as she tried sitting up straighter but she changed her mind as her head started throbbing. She sat back in her seat and closed her eyes, trying her best to will the pain away.

"Shh," Gage said, smoothing a few stray strands of hair out of her face, "Don't try to move. We crashed. I'm pretty sure we're somewhere in the Rockies."

Then she remembered. Sydney put her hand to her head, trying to ease the pain. When she felt something sticky, she pulled her hand away and looked at her fingers. When she saw the blood, she looked helplessly at the man sitting next to her. "Gage?" she asked. The fear in her voice almost broke his heart.

"Easy," he said wishing that he could take away the pain she was in. Silently, he blamed himself for the crash but did his best to push the thoughts away. They weren't going to help right now. "It's just a little scratch. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Sydney carefully moved each of her limbs with no problems until she got her right leg. "OHH!" she cried and looked down, trying to get past the pain that was radiating from the limb. Her lower leg was pinned underneath the crumpled dashboard. "My leg's stuck and I think it's broken too," she said gritting her teeth at the new pain she was feeling.

"Can you get it out?"

"No, it's stuck," came her frustrated reply.

"Okay, umm let's see." Gage looked around and found something to use as a crow bar. He pushed it under the dashboard and carefully pried it up just enough for Sydney to pull her now useless leg out. He was proud of her soundlessness as she did so. Gage knew it had to hurt tremendously but then again Sydney was the strongest person he knew.

After a little digging, Gage found a first aid kit under the seat and pulled out some gauze and antiseptic for Sydney's cut. It was still bleeding a little and in need of cleaning. He carefully pressed the gauze patch to her forehead. "Hold this for a minute. I'm going to go check on things outside." After seeing her nod, Gage pushed his slightly dented door open and jumped out.

Gage quickly looked over the small plane to try to survey damage. The outcome wasn't very good. The nose had been smashed by the tree and the force of being pushed through a forest had ripped the right wing had been completely off. It was laying a couple hundred yards back. Even worse than that, the entire plane was covered in rips and tears. "This thing's not going anywhere," he sighed. Gage also admitted to himself that they were going to need a better shelter. The plane wouldn't be supplying any heat anytime soon, if ever again.

When he got back into the plane, carefully avoiding using his injured arm, he saw Sydney was lying in her seat with her eyes closed, clearly still pain. The good news was that she had been able to stop her cut from bleeding and had covered it with a fresh bandage. "Syd," he said softly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What's the story? And tell me the truth. Don't sugarcoat it." Gage had to give her credit. Even in a situation was bad as this one Sydney could still act tough and independent.

"Well the good news is that we're not on the edge of a cliff or anything but we still can't stay here. The whole thing is ripped up pretty bad and even if I could get the engine to turn over and the heater working, the wind would still blow right through. We need to find shelter…" He let his words trail off, not knowing how Sydney would be able to move with her leg like it was.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Then she remembered. "Oh yeah. Me." After a quick pause she continued, using her training as a ranger and more importantly, her woman's intuition to take control of their situation. "Get some of the stuff we're going need and go look for shelter. When you find someplace, come back and get me."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" The last thing he wanted to do was leave her even if it was only going to be for a little while. After having the chance to drive a plane during the computer hacker case, Gage had signed up for real lessons. He'd been so excited about getting his pilot's license and after getting the chance to borrow a plane, Gage had worked so hard to convince Sydney to come with him, even agreeing to fly all the way out to her parents' house so she could spend Christmas with them. Now Sydney was paying for it. As usual, she was right; they should have just taken a commercial flight.

"I'll be fine but hurry up and leave," Sydney ordered, jarring him out of his thoughts. "The sooner you do, the sooner you'll be back."

With that, Gage reluctantly gathered a bag containing anything that looked like it would be useful in making camp. He covered her with all the blankets he could find so he would at least know she'd be warm enough. Then he left, promising that he would be back as soon as he could.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Chapter 3

It seemed like he had been walking for hours when in reality, it has only been about fifteen minutes. Gage kept looking back. He was hoping and praying with all his might that Sydney was alright. He felt so guilty. This entire mess was his fault.

"Come on Gage, focus. You need to find her someplace safe. You can worry about what we're going to do later when there's a fire and some food heating over it." He couldn't help but grin at the thought. "Syd's so right about me; I really do have a one-track mind." The thoughts of soon relieving the hunger that was beginning to gnaw at his stomach gave Gage new-found determination and he resumed his search.

A few minutes later, Gage's luck changed when he stumbled across a half-enclosed rock shelter. It looked like it had once been a cave but had collapsed. It only had two sides and a partial roof but what was intact looked sturdy. He knew that if he used the rocks he saw scattered around the area he could fix the other wall.

Gage set down all the supplies he had brought and got to work. It was backbreaking work. The stones didn't really stack well and there was no dirt, much less mud to pack in between them but thankfully the snow was the hard-packing kind. It worked perfectly in place of the mud.

The one wall took Gage almost a half-hour to build. If he had been in perfect condition it still would have been a challenge but his injured wrist made the work only that much more difficult. When it was finally done, he leaned against it to see if it would hold and surprisingly it did but now he had a new obstacle: a roof. Branches might work but there would still be gaps where snow could get it if there was a storm. Then a light bulb went off in his head: the wing of the plane was big enough to cover almost the whole top and using it would also solve the problem of getting Sydney here. It could be a sled. "Perfect!" Gage exclaimed, very proud of his resourcefulness.

After using the remaining stones to create a fireplace in front of the shelter, Gage ventured into the woods to get some wood. Pine branches would work as a good lining so they wouldn't have to lie in the snow while sleeping and he also needed to get enough firewood to last the night.

Twenty minutes later, the branches were spread out in the shelter and a pile of wood was waiting next to the campfire. Despite the exhausting work, Gage had managed to make a halfway decent camp, even though now his wrist was beginning to throb from the exertion, was slowing him down.

Looking across the camp, Gage couldn't help but smile at his efforts. He didn't know how long they'd be here or even how far away the closest town was but this place would serve its purpose. "I hope Walker and Trivette realize something's wrong soon," Gage said out loud to himself. He knew even this place wouldn't hold them forever. He'd thought about trying to find a town but quickly realized it would be impossible. Sydney would never be able to make it that far. Their only chance would be to wait right here and hoping that someone would reach them before it was too late.

He shook his head, bringing himself back to the present once again and his next task: getting Sydney. After taking one last look around to make sure everything was set, Gage began the trek back.

A/N: I'm very happy to see that so many people are visiting my story. I used to demand that people review before I'd post a new chapter and I'm not going to do that anymore but I'd greatly appreciate your feedback. Also, as we get going a little further and you guys get a better idea for the direction I'm heading, I'd love some suggestions for the ending.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

A/N: I was so happy to see the flurry of reviews that I'm posting two chapters today! But that also comes with some bad news - I'll be away tomorrow so there won't be any updates until Saturday. Thanks for all the support and I do apologize for the short update yesterday but hopefully this will make up for it.

Chapter 4

Sydney watched as Gage waded through the snow away from the plane and from her. She knew him going was their best chance but she couldn't help but sigh as he disappeared into the trees. He'd left her with enough layers of blankets to ward off any chance of getting cold but she still trembled slightly. It wasn't as much from the cold as it was from worry. She knew they were somewhere in Colorado but there was no telling how close the nearest town was or even how they would be able to get word to it. Sydney had already checked her phone and as she suspected, there was no service. It turned out that cell companies didn't think it was very profitable to build cell phone towers in the middle of nowhere – who knew?

Sydney's thoughts wandered to the moments before the crash. She'd been wishing for more time alone with Gage and now she had it. "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind," she muttered. Being stranded with Gage was not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it was something Sydney had thought about a lot but these circumstances were less than desirable. She sighed again. Even though they were stranded, Sydney had a feeling he'd be too preoccupied with getting them out of this mess to even begin thinking about her like she thought about him.

Sydney looked around the plane's cabin, trying to see if she could find anything useful that Gage might have missed. She rummaged around as far as she could reach and got lucky. She'd found a flare gun. It would make signaling to any potential rescuers much easier. After a little more searching, Sydney gave up. She was hoping to find something to keep her busy while she waited for Gage to return but found nothing. Her leg probably wouldn't let her do much anyway. She set the gun beside her and sighed one more time. Who knew how long Gage was going to be gone and she was sure she'd go crazy waiting for him. For lack of something better to do, she pulled the blankets closer to her neck, leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

* * *

_She was so happy. The sun was shining down on her, warming her face without being too hot. Slowly she opened her eyes, turning them toward the sky. It was so blue, without a cloud in sight. There was sand all around her and in the distance she could hear waves crashing into the shore and, then sliding back out to sea. She tried sitting up but realized there were arms around her waist. Behind her, she heard someone breathing and realized he was no longer asleep. Smiling, Sydney turned over and found herself starting into the face of the man holding her. _

"_Hey, you," Gage murmured huskily, "I was wondering when you were going to wake up." He leaned in close and captured her lips with his own…_

"Syd." Gage shook her gently, bringing her out of her dream.

"What's going on?" she said, immediately awake.

"Why don't you tell me? You were grinning like the Cheshire cat. Good dream?"

Sydney blushed slightly as she thought of the dream. The smile returned for a second but then disappeared when she realized that was all it was. This place was the furthest thing from a deserted island. She sat up straighter and yawned, rubbing at her eyes.

Gage nodded. "Sorry I took so long. I had to get everything in camp set up."

"You found a camp?"

"Yeah. It's about a half mile away." He saw her look down at her leg and realized what was running through her mind. "Don't worry Syd. I'm going to get you there on the wing that ripped off. I need it anyway to finish the roof."

She smiled, almost impressed with his resourcefulness. "Oh yeah," she said, just remembering the flare gun, "I found this behind the seat. It might come in handy if they send out search planes for us."

Gage's face lit up. "That's great! And if I know Walker and Trivette, they'll have anything that can fly up in the air looking for us by tomorrow at the latest."

Sydney smiled, hoping he was right. "So what do you need me to do?"

"Just sit tight while I get things ready." With that he was out the door again. Syd twisted in her seat so she could watch what he was doing.

After pulling out a length of rope that he had found earlier, Gage attached it to the ripped edge of the wing. He tested it to make sure it would hold and then towed it over to Sydney's door. He came back inside and gathered up everything he thought would be useful and arranged it so Sydney would have a place to sit without worrying about falling off.

Finally, Gage pulled open Sydney's door and carefully lifted his petite partner out, trying his best not to jar her leg. He gently set her down in the middle of their supplies and tucked the blankets around her. After asking if she was warm enough, Gage took one last look around to make sure nothing useful was left behind. He was not coming back if he could help it. Then he grabbed the rope and pulled his partner towards the camp he had made.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Chapter 5

It took twice as long to get back to the camp because Gage took every precaution to make sure his precious cargo got there with no further injuries. It was tough; the wing itself was pretty heavy but with Sydney and all of their gear as well, Gage found himself tiring quickly. He had had to stop often to rest and catch his breath. Sydney kept quiet, knowing he needed all his strength for pulling.

When they finally reached the camp, Gage made himself busy, first covering the branches with some blankets and then starting a fire. When that was all done, he set Sydney next to the fire on a short log he had managed to find and put a blanket around her shoulders. After taking everything else off the wing, Gage lifted it on top of the shelter.

By the time he was finished, he was completely exhausted. He tried to hide it from Sydney but failed miserably. He stumbled over to sit beside Sydney. As he warmed his hands over the fire, he stifled a yawn.

"Gage, you really need a break. Let me fix dinner while you rest for a little while."

"No Syd, I've got it," Gage insisted as he reached for the bag with the food in it with his bad wrist. He remembered just in time not to cry out but Sydney heard his sharp intake of breath and watched in disbelief as he cradled his wrist against his chest.

"Gage?" her questioning tone was full of concern but with a hint of annoyance.

"Syd, I'm fine, really I'm fine," Gage said, rubbing his aching wrist. The throbbing had gotten much worse even though he'd tried to keep as much strain off of it as he could.

"You hurt your wrist, didn't you?" Sydney sighed, "Gage, if we're going to get out of this mess, you've got to be straight with me. Now are you hurt anywhere else?"

Knowing that voice all too well, Gage just let go of the fight. "No Syd, just my wrist and it's just a little sprain. It's fine."

Even though she wanted to lecture him for all the lifting, he had already done, Sydney let it go too. "Okay Francis, but I'm cooking because face it, we don't have any bread to make toast with."

Gage opened his mouth to protest but shut it. He couldn't win and he knew it. Besides the fact that him cooking dinner would only lead to a disaster, he also knew that that once Sydney had made up her mind, there was no changing it. That was one of the things he admired most about her.

* * *

After they had eaten a meager meal of soup, it was already dark. The pair sat side by side as they watched the fire burn in yet another comfortable silence. A wolf howled nearby, a call that was answered by another. Sydney slid closer to Gage who laughed, automatically putting his arm around her. "What's wrong Syd? Scared?"

"No I-I just…" She let her words trail off as she looked up at her partner. Unconsciously, Sydney licked her lip, wondering if she had the courage to kiss him again. But she didn't need to. Without removing his eyes from her own, Gage ran his finger along her jaw line and tilted her head up. He searched her eyes for any reason why he shouldn't do what he had wanted so badly to do for their entire vacation and found none. Gage leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. As he slowly pulled away to see her reaction, Sydney pulled him back for their first real kiss. It wasn't a "celebration kiss" or one used just to keep their cover. This kiss allowed them to finally and completely express how they felt about each other.

As they finally parted, Sydney leaned in and rested her head on Gage's chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart. Gage tightened his grip around her waist and placed a kiss on her temple. Then he whispered those four little words: "I love you, Syd."

Sydney looked up into his ocean blue eyes and smiled. "I love you too." Gage hugged her to his side as his face silently broke out into a grin so bright it should have lit up the woods around them.

Despite their situation, both were very happy because now they knew they had each other. They weren't just partners at work anymore. There was a shift and they knew they were starting down a road that would ultimately make them partners in life. Even if they had been in the middle of Dallas, the whole world still would have ceased to exist; they could only see each other. It only mattered that they were together.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

A/N: Happy New Year! Hope everyone is off to a good start for 2011. As always, thanks for the reviews - they make me smile :)  
Posting is going to be slowing down from here on out but you can expect at least one or two updates a week. Without further adieu, here's chapter 6!

Chapter 6

Sydney could have awoken to a blizzard and it still would have been a beautiful day. She was lying in the shelter Gage had built for them, safely wrapped in Gage's arms. They'd sat up the night before until the fire died down, not talking, just enjoying the feelings that their long-awaited admissions had created. They were in love and even the morning after, Sydney could barely believe it had happened.

She stretched, careful not to move her leg. The pain didn't seem quite as bad as it had yesterday but any sudden movement would send fire shooting up it. She felt Gage stir slightly and then tighten his embrace around her waist. He nestled his face into her neck, tickling her with the stubble that was beginning to grow on his chin. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek. Sydney stayed where she was, reveling in the feeling of being held by the man she had grown to love more than life itself. A minute later she called out to him, "Gage?"

He answered with a groggy moan and then, after clearing his throat, "Good morning beautiful."

To that she smiled and replied with her own good morning. He released his hold on her and she carefully rolled onto her back and stared up into his face instantly getting lost in those ocean blue eyes. Gage reached down to smooth her hair away from her face before leaning down to place a tender kiss on her lips. Without a word, he lay back down and held her close.

They lay like that for a while before Gage felt Sydney shiver. "Are you cold?"

"That's a pretty stupid question; look where we're lying." Sydney couldn't help but be sarcastic.

"Good point." Gage kissed her hair and then sat up, covering Sydney with the blanket. "I'll get a fire started. Stay here."

* * *

Less than a half hour later found the pair sitting on their log, warming in front of their only real heat source. Gage dug a few granola bars out of one of the packs for breakfast. He felt like he was starving but knew they had to ration the food if it was going to last until they were rescued. "Not if; when we're rescued," he thought determinedly.

As he nibbled on his breakfast, he snuck a sideways glance at Sydney. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. About the third time he looked, she caught him. "What?"

"What, what?"

"You were staring."

"Oh, was I? I hadn't noticed. I was just admiring my wonderful girlfriend. Is there a problem with that?"

_Girlfriend._ He'd said it. The word warmed Sydney from the inside out. She looked down. "Yeah, I'm sure I'm quite a sight. No shower in almost two days, no makeup and my hair is a tangled mess." As she said that, Sydney pulled at her hair, frustrated. She reached over and pulled her brush out of her bag. She began forcing it through the mats only to be stopped by Gage. He took the brush from her hand, "Let me do that."

Sydney consented and turned slightly, giving him a better angle. He began working it through her hair, gently pulling out the tangles with his fingers. Sydney closed her eyes and lost herself in his actions. Ever since she was a little girl, she'd loved it when people played with her hair but Gage took the activity to a whole new level.

It took him a while before the brush could slide through easily; the past two days hadn't done it any good but Gage found himself enjoying it. He loved running his fingers through her hair almost as much she liked him doing it. When he was done, Gage brushed her hair over one shoulder and planted a kiss on the back of her neck.

Sydney sighed and leaned back into him, smiling when he wrapped his arms around her. "You know what?"

"What?" he whispered in her ear.

"This could have been the perfect getaway, except for the stranded part."

Gage pushed her forward and turned him to face her. "Sydney, I'm sorry about that. This whole stupid plane thing was my fault."

"Gage…" Sydney started but Gage shushed her.

"But I think we need to look at it a different way. If this didn't happen, we wouldn't be together right now. And I'm so glad about that. I should have told you how I feel about you so much sooner."

Sydney smiled but it was short-lived. "I should have too but now I just don't know how much good it's going to do. What if we never get out of here? What if no one ever finds us?"

"Sydney Cooke, we _will_ get out of here. Walker and Trivette won't rest until they find us. We both know that. I promise you we _will_ start our life together in Dallas."

Sydney didn't reply. She just hugged him. "I love you Gage," she whispered.

They sat like that for a long time, comforted by the thought of their Cherokee boss and his partner on the case and also knowing that they weren't alone.

* * *

The day went by very slowly. With nothing to do but huddle around the fire, time just seemed to crawl by. Gage took many trips out gather wood. He also found a couple long sturdy limbs and completely immobilized Sydney's leg. He knew it still needed to be set but just wasn't willing to cause her that much pain or risk making it worse. He hoped what he could do would hold it until help arrived.

Just before sunset, it started snowing. It started out slow and steady but quickly became much worse. Then it turned over to a freezing rain. Soon the fire burned out, leaving the couple completely in the dark. Gage moved Sydney to the shelter and tried to start a new fire but the rain managed to kill every spark he was able to create. Worst of all, the wood was getting soaked, almost insuring there would be no more fire that night.

Sydney watched huddled in a blanket as Gage tried over and over to light a fire for her. He was getting soaked in the freezing water but she knew he wouldn't give up. "Gage," she called, "please come inside. We don't need to worry about that tonight. You can't stay out there in this weather."

"Not yet Syd," Gage replied in the determined tone she knew best, "I've almost got it." Just as he said that, the last tiny spark from the last dry match went out. "SHOOT!" he yelled. He threw the now empty matchbox and cursed under his breath. Still, he made no move to join Sydney in the shelter.

Sydney called out to him in vain. He didn't even respond. It was almost like he'd forgotten all about everything but the guilt he felt. Despite all attempts to reassure him he wasn't to blame for what was happening, Gage stayed outside. Finally, too exhausted to push the issue anymore, Sydney lay down, pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders and fell into a restless sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I continue to lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or its characters.

Chapter 7

It was shocking how a situation could turn from amazing to awful in such a short period of time. Sydney barely slept all night and to make matters worse, she awoke to the sound of Gage coughing. She quickly sat up, shocked to see him still sitting by the still unlit fire.

"Gage?" she questioned, trying her best to shake off the exhaustion that was still clinging to her head.

"Sorry Syd, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Forget about me. Did you sit out there all night?" Gage's silence confirmed her suspicions. Sydney carefully crawled out to him and pulled her blanket over his shoulders. She reached up and laid a hand across his forehead. "You feel a little warm."

"I figured. I've got a headache too."

"Well, that I can do something about." Sydney reached for her bag and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She offered it to Gage, smiling at his reaction. "Don't worry; they're fast-melt tabs. I hate swallowing pills."

Grateful, Gage took the bottle, "Thanks Syd." She rubbed his arm in response and snuggled in close in an effort to warm both of them.

* * *

The day went by slowly. There was nothing to do but sit. Much to Sydney's surprise, Gage was able to start a fire with a few sticks. He just chocked it up to Boy Scouts but both were grateful for the extra warmth.

Finally after a long day, the sun went down and the pair could retire to the shelter. They crawled back onto the branches and pulled the blanket tightly around them. Sydney huddled close to Gage's side, her arm wrapped around his waist and his around her shoulders. Gradually, the two grew warm and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next day, things looked even grimmer. Gage's cough had gotten worse overnight and he was still feverish. Even worse, they were running low on food. Even Gage was rationing himself, trying to make what was left last as long as possible.

As the day went on, Sydney's imagination was beginning to run wild as she considered worst-case scenarios.

"Gage?"

"Hmm?"

"What are we going to do if Walker and Trivette don't find us soon?"

"Don't think like that. They'll find us."

"I know. But what if we… you know, before they do?"

Gage took her by the shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Syd, we are _not_ going to die. Walker and Trivette aren't going to give up until we're back in Dallas." He pulled her close and stroked her hair, "Why are you thinking like that? It's not like you."

Sydney looked down, intertwining their fingers. "I don't know. I guess I'm just… scared." She said the last word so quietly that Gage could barely hear her. The thought of his partner being scared shocked him. In all the years he'd known her that was the one emotion she always kept hidden from the world and he knew there were no words that could made it go away. He held her tighter into his arms and placed a gentle kiss on her temple and tried so hard to make her feel safe.

"I love you, Syd," he whispered, "and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

As they sat there, they slowly became aware of a sound that they hadn't heard in days. It wasn't a natural sound; it was more mechanical and definitely man-made. Bewildered, they lifted their faces to the sky where they saw the source of the noise and realized what it was.

"Gage, get the flare gun!" Sydney cried happily.

He obliged and grabbed the gun they'd kept at their side just waiting for a chance like this. He pointed it up and fired a shot. They watched as the spark flew into the sky, exploded and then slowly fell back to Earth. "I told you they'd find us." The two shared another embrace, a happy one this time and kept their arms around each other as they anxiously awaited their rescuers.

_Ten Minutes Later…_

"Gage! Sydney!" The voices of none other than Walker and Trivette rang out from the direction of the crashed plane. After calling back, the pair saw movement in the trees as their friends came into sight.

"See Syd," Gage said breaking into a grin, "just like I told you." Sydney couldn't even reply, she just looked at Gage and then back toward her rescuers, too overcome with emotion to speak.

As Walker and Trivette came closer, Trivette called out, "Are you guys okay?"

"We are now," Gage replied, pulling Sydney closer while another cough racked his body.

"You sound okay," Trivette told him with sarcasm in his voice as he and Walker kneeled down in the snow beside him, "What happened?"

"We'll explain later," Sydney said, finding her voice and taking control. "Gage is sick; he's got a slight fever."

"And Syd's leg is broken," Gage added.

Walker looked to the petite ranger's leg, examining Gage's makeshift splint. "That's holding pretty well but you're going to need a cast. We're going to need to carry you out of here." He stood and then bent to pick up Sydney. As he shifted her slightly to keep himself in balance for the walk through the snow, Gage and Trivette grabbed what was left of their supplies and the four headed back to the helicopter. Soon they were in the air on their way home.

A/N: I've had a little trouble posting this chapter but here it is. I'm going to try to post another one by the end of the week as long as I can get some serious writing done in the next few days. As always, thanks for the reviews.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Chapter 8

It had been about an hour since the ranger chopper landed on the roof of St. Mathew's Hospital. Staff had been standing by and ushered both injured rangers inside where Sydney was whisked away to x-ray and Gage to an examination room.

After a short wait, a doctor came in to evaluate him. "Welcome back Ranger Gage and congratulations on surviving your ordeal."

"Thanks Doctor…"

"Oh sorry; Dr. Swanson." The man extended his hand to the young ranger only to see him offer his left hand and keep his right one cradled in his lap. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"I think I sprained my wrist in the crash."

Dr. Swanson took his arm and gingerly felt his wrist for any broken bones. "It seems like your diagnosis is correct. I'll get you a bandage to keep it supported until it heals."

"Thanks Doc."

Dr. Swanson nodded and proceeded to give Gage a complete examination. He determined that besides the sprained wrist, Gage only had a mild case of bronchitis.

"You're lucky, it could have been a lot worse. I'll give you a prescription for the bronchitis but you should make an appointment with your doctor in about a week to make sure it's clearing up. Are you allergic to any medications?"

"Nope."

The doctor pulled out his prescription pad and wrote it out. He handed it to Gage, "Now, I'll be glad to release you as long as you take it easy for a few days. No work."

Gage brightened at the idea of an extended vacation. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"Good. I'll let you get dressed while I get your paperwork together."

"Thanks."

Dr. Swanson nodded and left. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. It opened, revealing Walker and Trivette.

"Hey guys," Gage greeted pulling on his shoes.

"How are you doing?" Walker asked.

"Better. But the doctor says it's going to be a few weeks before I'm one hundred percent." He paused to cough. "By the way, thanks for helping us out there."

"No problem, besides we needed you at work to do our menial tasks," Trivette quipped.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Oh Boss, on a serious note, I need a favor."

"What is it?"

"Uh, I need to see about a transfer."

Walker frowned, "Why?"

"Well right now I'm violating the 'No Fraternization Policy.'"

Walker and Trivette both continued to frown but the confusion lifted when they saw the million-dollar grin on Gage's face.

"Congrats Buddy!" Trivette said clapping him on the back.

"Thanks. So Walker, how soon do you think I could get a transfer?"

Walker was quiet for a minute. "Let me talk to the superiors. Maybe we can make an exception."

"That would be great!"

"You and Sydney are a great team – I'd hate to break the two of you up. I'll look into it and we'll talk about it when you come back to work."

"Where is Sydney anyway?" Gage asked hopping off the table.

"She should be getting her cast; Alex is with her," Trivette told him.

* * *

The first place Sydney saw when she got into the hospital was the inside of the x-ray machine. Now she was waiting for the pictures to develop and her doctor to tell her what would be the next step.

After about five minutes, there was a tap on the door. Sydney sat up straighter, thinking it was a doctor but she was surprised to see Alex walk in instead.

"Hey Alex."

"Hi Sydney; how are you doing?"

Sydney winced as she shifted on the examining table. "Okay but I'll be better once they take care of my leg."

"Yeah, broken bones are no picnic."

"Mmm hmm," Sydney replied. When Alex did offer anything else, she turned her head and gazed wistfully out the window.

Alex immediately saw she'd lost her friend's attention. "You look like you're a million miles away."

"Sorry, what?" Sydney had been so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't heard a word Alex said.

"I said you looked like you were a million miles away but now I'm wondering if you weren't just across the building instead."

Sydney frowned. "How so?"

Alex gave her a knowing look followed by a one-word response: "Gage."

Sydney blushed and looked to her lap but Alex could see her smiling. "Okay, out with it – what happened between you two?"

"We kissed," Sydney replied simply.

"Like you did when Walker landed our plane to Paris safely or like when you were undercover with the Raptors?" Sydney had shared both occasions with Alex and even though she hadn't said as much, Alex knew how much Gage meant to her.

"Neither."

You mean?" When Sydney nodded, confirming her suspicions that yes, indeed the two partners were now more than friends, Alex gave her a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks Alex."

"I want to hear all the details."

"Well, before the crash –" Before Sydney could continue, there was another knock on the door; this time it was her doctor.

"Hello Ranger Cooke. I'm Dr. Pierce. How are you feeling?"

"Okay."

He nodded. "Good. Our suspicions are correct; you've suffered a fracture in your tibia. While it is minor, you will need a cast for about six weeks so it can heal. The pain medication you were given when you arrived should be taking effect so we'll get started with your cast."

* * *

As the technician was finishing up Sydney's cast, a set of familiar voices drifted into the room where they interrupted the conversation Alex and Sydney were having about Angela's Christmas morning. Sure enough, as Sydney turned her attention to the doorway, she saw Walker, Trivette and Gage approaching.

"Hey guys," she greeted.

"Hey Syd," Gage replied. Then he surprised everyone by walking over and kissing her cheek. "Feeling better?"

"Much," she said stifling a yawn, "but I could use some sleep."

"I hear you. I think I could easily sleep for a week."

"Wouldn't you do that even if you hadn't spent the last three and a half days stranded on a mountain?"

"Yes," everyone answered for him. They were all still laughing at him as Sydney's doctor returned.

"Well it sounds like you're all ready to get out of here."

"Yes, please," Sydney begged.

Dr. Pierce smiled. "You got it. Just make sure you keep any weight off of that leg and I'll see you back here in a few weeks to check on it."

"Okay."

After a brief discussion on transportation arrangements it was decided that Trivette would take Sydney home and Walker and Alex would take Gage mainly because the women didn't trust the guys alone together but also because it would be too difficult for Sydney to climb into the truck with her crutches.

The ride to Sydney's apartment was a quiet one. Trivette could see how exhausted Sydney was so he didn't try to make it worse with idle conversation. Once they arrived, he walked her to her door despite her protests that she was fine, told her to get some sleep and left.

Coming Up: Lots of fluff as Gage and Sydney get ready to ring in the new year (I'm a little late but the idea just came to me).


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

A/N: Just a head's up, because of this chapter I'm changing the rating for the story to T.

Chapter 9

The first thing Gage did when he got home was shower. After three days roughing it, he smelled anything but good. He was just getting out when he heard his doorbell ring. "Hold on a minute!" he shouted before drying off and jumping into a well-earned clean pair of boxers and sweats. He was walking to the door as the bell sounded again.

He opened it and when he saw it was Sydney, he silently gave thanks for actually getting dressed and not answering the door in his robe. _That_ would have been a little bit awkward, especially now. "Hey Syd," he greeted clearly happy to see her. "Impatient are we?"

"Well knowing you, I just figured you were sleeping or ignoring the door."

"Would I do that?" he asked feigning insult as he stepped aside to let her hobble in.

"Probably," she quipped slapping him in the ribs. She was a little surprised when Gage caught her arm and pulled her close for a kiss but she soon allowed herself to get lost in it and her senses to take over. Never one for facial hair, she savored his once again smooth face and that combination of aftershave and body wash – the scent that was all his – the one she'd only ever been able to enjoy from afar until now.

When they parted, Gage led her to a stool at his kitchen island. "So what brings you here? Not that I'm complaining of course."

"Well after Trivette left, I jumped in the shower and when I was drying my hair, I happened to glance at the calendar and remembered today was New Years' Eve."

"And you figured there was no one better to ring in the New Year with than yours truly," Gage finished.

"Not to further inflate your ego, but yes. So I got in a cab, stopped off at a convenience store and grabbed the necessary party favors and snacks and came over," Sydney finished gesturing to the bag she'd set on the counter.

At the prospect of food, Gage lit up. He immediately dove into the bag, exclaiming like he'd won the lottery when he came up with his favorite chips and soda, not to mention the New Years' crowns and noisemakers. Sydney smiled at his child-like behavior "Glad you approve. The only thing missing is the dinner food; I thought we could order a pizza."

"With everything on it?"

Sydney winced at the thought. "Okay, two pizzas – one with everything and one with just pepperoni."

"Deal." Gage grabbed a take out menu and the phone. Sydney listened as he ordered but her thoughts soon began to wander as she yet again realized her partner was in front of her and shirtless. She'd been taken back by it when he opened the door like that but ignored it so she could focus on a conversation with him. Now with nothing else to do, she moved her gaze to his well-toned chest and abs. She knew he took care of himself; they both made good use of the Ranger Gym whether it be weight lifting, the treadmill or her favorite – sparring.

Sydney had just started daydreaming about those strong, capable arms around her when she realized it wasn't a dream. Gage had finished ordering the pizza, saw the dreamy look on her face and crept over behind her where he snaked his arms around her slender waist. She smiled and leaned into him.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey yourself." Sydney wrapped her arms around his and tilted her head back for a kiss. Unlike their others, this one was deep and passionate and when they broke away both were breathless.

"So the pizzas won't be here for about an hour. I vote we move to more comfortable quarters – like the couch."

"I agree." Sydney grabbed her crutches and followed Gage to his living room. She watched as he sat down and grabbed the remote before extending his arm across the back of the couch, inviting her to join him, an invitation she quickly obliged to. Sydney snuggled in to his side with her leg on the coffee table and Gage's arm around her.

He flipped on the TV and found an action movie. While it was interesting, the stress of the last few days quickly caught up with them and they were soon fast asleep in each others' arms.

* * *

Under the fog of sleep, Sydney vaguely heard the doorbell ring and then felt Gage get up and lay her back down on the couch. Still, she didn't stir, she was too comfortable.

With her eyes still shut, she listened to Gage's conversation with the delivery boy. The poor guy was stuck delivering food to happy party-goers for another three hours. Sydney heard Gage offer some sympathy and no doubt a bigger tip before the door closed. Only then did she tentatively open her eyes.

Gage had set the boxes on the island and was now pulling out a couple of plates. Sydney watched as he put two slices on hers and three on his, grabbed a few napkins and headed back over to her. He put the plates on the table and then sat on the edge facing her. "You're awake," he said tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. "Did you sleep okay?"

Sydney yawned and stretched before pulling herself up. "Yeah, I must have had a good pillow."

Gage smiled and handed her a plate before picking up his own. "I hope so. I'd hate to have had my arm fall asleep for nothing."

"Well I could have slept in the chair if I knew I was going to bother you."

"Nah," Gage replied moving to sit beside her, "you can sleep on me anytime."

The two ate their pizza in silence while watching the news, something they'd missed out on the last few days. When they were done, Sydney stacked the plates and reached for her crutches.

"Woah, woah, woah. Where do you think you're going?" Gage held out his hand to stop her.

"I'm going to clean up."

"I don't think so," he stood and took the plates from her hands.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Gage, I'm perfectly capable of washing a couple of plates.

"Just how do you plan on holding them and your crutches and then standing at the sink to wash them? I'll do it."

Even though she wanted to argue, she knew Gage had a point. "Fine, I'll just go use the bathroom then." She grabbed her purse and hobbled off to the bathroom. Once she'd gone to the bathroom she looked in the mirror cringing at the sight of her messy hair and the remnants of grease from the pizza around her mouth. After she brushed her teeth, washed the toothpaste and sauce off her face and ran a brush through her hair, she deemed herself presentable again.

When Sydney returned to the living room she saw that Gage not only washed the dishes but also put the pizzas in the refrigerator and cleaned up the counter. Now he was plopped on the couch surfing through the channels. She headed over, "Is there room for one more?"

"Of course." He sat up to give her space to sit and when she did he automatically wound his arm around her waist. "So, it's a little before 7 – I figured we can watch a movie or two and then watch the ball drop; sound good?"

"Yeah but are we really going to last 5 hours? We already fell asleep once tonight."

"Tell you what; I'll set an alarm for 11:30 so if we do, we'll wake up in time."

Sydney nodded and watched as Gage set the alarm on his cell phone. "So what are we watching?"

"I don't know. It's a comedy so I figured why not."

They settled in to watch it, laughing occasionally at the characters' antics but within an hour, as Sydney predicted, both we once again fast asleep.

* * *

Sometime later, Gage's sleep was interrupted by an insistent ringing. He opened his eyes and saw his phone alarm going off. He grabbed it and silenced it, surprised to see that Sydney had slept through it.

"Syd, wake up. It's 11:30." Sydney moaned and snuggled deeper into his shoulder. "Come on, you don't want to miss the New Year."

"Okay," she mumbled.

Gage flipped the TV to the New Years' Eve special as Sydney finally opened her eyes. Mariah Carey was onstage singing her latest single while the crowd in Times Square cheered. She sat up straighter and Gage went to get them both a drink.

Sydney only made it through about ten minutes before she was dozing again. Gage knew she was tired but this was the start of their first year together – she couldn't miss it!

"Syd – come on, only 20 more minutes."

"Mmm hmm," she mumbled, her eyes remaining shut. Gage knew he'd have to switch tactics if he was going to wake her. He slowly began planting kisses along her jaw. When he got to her ear, he gently nipped at her earlobe.

Even half asleep, Sydney tilted her neck to give him better access. Gage began trailing his kisses down her neck as his fingers found the edge of her sweater. Moving it aside slightly, he began stroking her bare skin. Now he had her attention.

Their lips met for a fiery kiss as Sydney's hands began a journey of their own. As she began to caress his chest, Gage stopped her.

"Syd, we don't have to; I mean I'm not –"

"Shh." She laid her fingers across his lips to silence him and then replaced them with her own lips. As she ran her tongue against his lips, he pressed her back against the couch and their tongues met to create a dance of their own.

When they broke, Gage returned to his exploration of her neck, placing wet kisses all the way to her collarbone as his hands finally delved under that sweater, fluttering across her stomach where they stopped to gently stroked the sensitive skin above it.

Gage was creating sensations in her body that Sydney hadn't felt for a long time and when he carefully laid her down, positioning himself on top of her, she could feel that the same things were happening to him.

"Please Gage," she whispered, "Francis, please take me to your room."

Those were the last words Gage ever expected to come out of Sydney's mouth. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, please." She pressed herself into him and captured his lips once more.

Gage carefully stood with his beautiful girlfriend in his arms. Behind him, he could vaguely hear the countdown on TV.

6… He began walking as Sydney wound her hands into his hair, bringing him close for another kiss.

5…

4… He passed through the short hallway not even feeling his arm hit the wall as Sydney nibbled at his neck, his skin igniting under her touch.

3…

2… He pushed against the door and it slowly opened as the two disappeared inside.

1…

As the cheering began on TV, the door swung shut. On the other side, Sydney and Gage had a celebration of their own.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

A/N: I am so sorry it's been over a week since you've heard from me. I started a new semester in college on Tuesday and it's already been dominating my time. I'm going to try to keep posting one chapter a week but unfortunately I can't promise it. Also, sorry for posting such a short chapter but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. Hope you enjoy it and let's hope I'll be able to post again soon.

Chapter 10

Sydney awoke the next morning, warmed by both the sunbeam shining across the bed and Gage's arms holding her close. At first she was startled when she felt only the skin of the man behind her but then she remembered the night before and snuggled in closer. There was absolutely no feeling better than being in the arms of the man you love.

After a few minutes, Sydney became fully aware of very full bladder. She glanced around the room, only to remember her crutches were still lying next to the couch. "Gage?" she called out.

"Yeah Syd?" he mumbled into her shoulder.

"I have to use the bathroom."

Gage yawned and reluctantly released the hold he had around her waist. "Okay."

"Honey, my crutches are still in the other room."

"Huh? Oh yeah." Gage sat up and swung his legs out of bed. After pulling on his boxers, he stumbled sleepily out of the room.

Thankfully, their midnight activities hadn't knocked Gage's bathrobe off the foot of the bed. Sydney pulled it on as Gage returned with her crutches. "Thanks," she said grabbing them and then sped off to the bathroom.

When she returned, Gage was considerably more awake and was waiting for her. He pulled the covers back, inviting her to rejoin him. She sat down on the edge and shyly removed his robe before sliding back into his arms.

"Syd, what did you call me?"

"What?"

"Before I got up; what did you call me?"

Sydney smiled, "Oh you mean, 'Honey'?" Gage nodded and kissed her. When they pulled away she asked, "What was that for?"

"For calling me that; I liked it."

"Good."

"Just good? I'll give you good." With that Gage started tickling her sides mercilessly, eliciting laughs out of the female ranger.

In the midst of her laughter, Sydney protested for him to stop but of course he just ignored her. "Gage, I'm serious!" she laughed, "You're forgetting, I have a five pound hunk of plaster on my leg and I'm not afraid to use it!" To prove her point, Sydney tapped her leg on Gage's.

He immediately backed off, his hands in the air. "Sorry Officer, I didn't mean it. Honest."

"First, it's 'Ranger' and…" Sydney stroked her chin in mock thought, "I'll let you off with a warning this time but don't let it happen again." They collapsed into each other laughing only to be interrupted by Gage's stomach growling.

"Sounds like someone's a little hungry there, Francis." Sydney pointed out patting his stomach.

"Yeah, I must have worked up a good appetite last night," he replied kissing her shoulder. After a moment he asked, "Any regrets?"

"Nope, you?"

"Just that it took us this long to get together."

"Me too."

After a few more minutes of cuddling, Gage's stomach won out. "Come on," he said, "I'll make breakfast."

"What did you have in mind?"

"… French toast."

Sydney laughed. "Okay and I'll fry up some eggs to go with it."

"Deal."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Chapter 11

*Three Weeks Later*

Today was Gage's first day back on field work. He'd been on light duty – as in desk duty – since he returned on the fourth. Sydney had come back at the same time with the same sentence only she'd be stuck there for another three or four weeks until her cast came off and she completed physical therapy. She was certain that being in the office when everyone else was out in the action would drive her crazy.

When Gage picked her up that morning, Sydney could see he was excited. She tried to put on a happy front for him but as they got closer to headquarters, Gage noticed her getting quieter and quieter.

"You okay?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

Sydney forced a smile. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. You just seem preoccupied."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

Gage let it drop but kept ahold of her hand for the rest of the ride.

* * *

When Gage opened the door to the office and stepped aside to let Sydney hobble in, he saw Walker and Trivette reaching for their hats. "What's up?"

"There's a robbery in progress at the First National," Trivette told him.

Gage nodded and followed them out. Sydney watched as the door closed and then sat down letting out a heavy sigh. She laid her head in her hands, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Sydney?" The sound of her name made her look up. Alex was standing there.

"Oh. Hey Alex."

"Are you okay? You seem a little down."

Sydney sighed again. "Yeah, I guess."

Alex slid into Gage's seat across from her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's just… the guys just went out on the call."

"Oh and you're feeling kind of jealous that you couldn't go too?"

"Not so much jealous – I know I'd be pretty useless out there – it's more like… worried. I know Walker and Trivette are with him but_ I'm_ Gage's partner and _I'm_ supposed to be the one watching his back."

Alex smiled sympathetically. "I know how you feel. I can't even remember how many times I was a nervous wreck when Walker went out on some crazy mission just after we'd started seeing each other. But I learned that I can't always be with him to know he's okay and that he's got Trivette as back up to keep him safe. Right now Gage has both Walker and Trivette to keep an eye on him and in a few weeks you'll be back on the streets doing that yourself."

Sydney was quiet a moment as she considered Alex's speech. "You're right. I guess I'm being a control freak about it."

"No, you're being protective. It's only natural."

"Yeah but it's still not easy."

Both friends shared a brief laugh. "Okay well I've got a mountain of paperwork waiting for me. Want to grab lunch later?"

"Sure."

"Okay, see you then." Alex stood and walked out.

Sydney turned her attention back to the files in front of her.

* * *

An hour later, the door opened and Sydney looked up to see Walker and Trivette coming through. When Gage didn't follow in suit, Sydney was surprised. "Where's Gage?"

"Oh, he stopped off at the men's room," Walker told her, "He'll be here in a minute."

She relaxed and nodded. "So how did it go?"

"We caught them," Trivette grinned. "It was four guys, all with unloaded guns and zero experience on the wrong side of the law. They had no clue."

"Except for the karate guy," Gage said walking in. Sydney looked over at him to see for herself that he was okay. The first thing she noticed was the icepack in his hand and when she looked at his face, she saw the large welt that was emerging on one side.

"What happened?"

"I had to chase down the last guy out. He tried to slip out through the alley in the commotion."

"And when he confronted the guy, he took a boot to the head," Trivette continued, finding the incident a little funny.

"It knocked me out for a second but then the genius realized the alley was a dead end. So he ran back out, right into Walker's fist."

"But you're okay right?"

"Yeah. The paramedics said I'll have a headache for a bit and then a nice bruise but I'll be fine in a few days. Until then, I can just tell everyone you did it, Shorty," Gage said grinning.

Sydney smacked him in the ribs. Inside, she felt another pang of guilt that she wasn't there for him when he needed her but she had to fight the urge to play the role of the protective girlfriend. Walker had convinced their superiors to allow her and Gage to date while remaining partners but only on a trial basis, which meant they were constantly being watched for professionalism. Making a fuss over a simple bruise would only sabotage their chances of remaining partners.

Pushing aside her true feelings, Sydney replied her usual sarcastic way. "Leave it to you, Mr. Accident-Prone to get injured on your first day back."

They all laughed and settled down to work. A minute or two later, a folded sheet of paper came sliding across Sydney's desk. She looked up and Gage nodded at it so she unfolded it.

_Lunch? _It said.

_Already have plans with Alex. How about dinner?_ She wrote back.

_And a night recap?_

_Maybe. You sure you're okay?_

_Yes._

_Okay. I love you._

_Back at you, Shorty._

A/N: So my goal is to have this story wrapped up by Valentine's Da_y._ I don't want to guarantee it seeing as there's at least 2 but maybe 3 more chapters to post before then but I'm going to try. I've already got a head start on the next chapter so it should be up pretty soon. Thanks for sticking with me :)_  
_


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

Chapter 12

On their way to work the next morning, Gage had to stop and get gas. Sydney waited in the car while he pumped and then went in the store to pay for it. She could see it was busy inside, a fact that was common at this time in the morning.

Sydney looked up from the radio as Gage came out the door. Then out of nowhere, she heard a gunshot. She looked around and then back at her partner, expecting to see his service revolved drawn but was surprised to see it wasn't. He had an odd look on his face and Sydney put her hand on the door handle as she readied herself to help however she could. Then she saw it: the blood on Gage's shirt. He was hit? She yanked on the door handle but it wouldn't open. "Gage!" she shouted, pounding on the window with her fist.

Gage looked down and touched his chest. He looked confused by the red sticky substance on his hand. Sydney continued to try to open the door in vain as she helplessly watched Gage fall to his knees and then flat to the ground.

She screamed and then jolted awake.

Gage had been shaking her to try to wake her up and now that she was, he held her close. "Shh, you're okay. Everything's okay Honey," he whispered softly, gently stroking her hair.

Sydney held onto him and the tears rolled from her eyes. She held as tightly as she could afraid that if she let go, even a little, she'd slip back into her nightmare.

After a few more minutes in the comfort of Gage's arms, Sydney was able to stop crying and relax her grip on him. Without a word she snuggled into his chest.

"Are you okay, Syd?" She nodded. "Do you need anything? A drink? A cool washcloth?"

"Just hold me."

Gage obliged and within a few minutes both were fast asleep.

* * *

Ever since their first night together, Sydney started leaving a change of clothes and a toothbrush at Gage's so they wouldn't have to worry about running to her apartment before work. It was a good thing because this morning they'd overslept. They barely had time to grab breakfast and because they did, there was no time to stop for gas.

"I swear, sometimes you're as bad as a teen boy when it comes to remembering to fill the gas tank," Sydney declared on their way to work. Inwardly though she breathed a sigh of relief. The déjà vu of being at the gas station would have been too much for her nerves to take this morning.

"Very funny. I'll just worry about it later. We've got plenty to last until then."

Sydney just shook her head in disbelief.

* * *

It was much easier to watch the guys go out on their calls today than yesterday but that was probably because Sydney's mind was on that dream. What did it mean? Why now? The questions kept circling through her mind all day and she barely got any work done.

On the way home, Gage dutifully stopped at the gas station. Sydney relaxed when she saw him pull out a debit card to pay for the gas. At least he wouldn't be going inside.

When he slid back into the driver's seat he said, "You know I'm kind of in the mood to eat out. How does _Juniors_ sound?"

"Good. Anything to get out of cooking and dishes, huh?"

Gage just grinned. "You know me too well.

Dinner was good and as romantic as could be expected at a place called _Juniors_. The one thing that always surprised Sydney was just how romantic and loving Gage could be. She'd known a lot of guys like him and most couldn't get past being macho to be a good boyfriend but he was different – almost like the perfect combination of tough and tender.

After dinner they headed to Sydney's, initially to pick up more clothes but then they just decided to stay there. Both were too tired to drive (or in Sydney's case, ride) another ten minutes to Gage's apartment. Within minutes of opening the door, the pair was in front of the TV where Gage was hogging the remote.

"Come on Gage," Sydney said leaning across him to try to grab the remote. "My house, my choice. Give me the remote!"

Gage moved his arm – and the remote – out of her grasp. "Hang on Syd. I just want to look for something."

Not buying it, Sydney leaned over further and tried pulling his arm toward her. When that didn't work, she gave up and sat back up. Crossing her arms over her chest, she sighed. "You're such a typical guy," she grumbled.

Gage lowered the remote and looked over at her. Seeing how annoyed she looked, he quickly deposited the control in her lap. "Sorry Shorty," he murmured.

Sydney tossed it to the floor. "No, forget it. I don't want it."

Gage slid closer, putting his hand on her leg. "Syd? I'm sorry."

Sydney glanced sideways at him and burst out laughing. She couldn't help it; he looked so worried and concerned.

"What? Wait, what?"

"You should have seen the look on your face!"

"That was an act?"

Sydney nodded, still chuckling.

"I see how it is. I should be the one pouting now."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"Oh that's it." Gage leaned down and snatched up the remote before Sydney could react. "Now it _is_ mine. Wait until you see what I'm going to make you watch now." He flipped to C-Span and left it on for a good five minutes before he had to switch it to sports.

Sydney laughed again. "What's the matter? Can't stand to watch a bunch of people stand around and talk politics?"

"How can anyone find that fun? Geez."

They settled in to watch a basketball game but soon decided to call it a night. Both were tired and they still had work tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I lay no claim on _Walker, Texas Ranger_ or any of its characters.

A/N: Yes, your computer screen is correct - another update! As you'll see by the end of this chapter, the story is wrapping up. I save most of my ramblings for the end but I just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my story even with my slow updating. I'm planning on posting the last chapter tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest - it's going to be me tying up the loose ends and suffice it to say, lots of Valentine's Day fluff. Enjoy this one and keep your eyes open for the final update.

Chapter 13

The ride to work the next morning was a quiet one. It wasn't tense but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. Gage had awoken again during the night to bring Sydney out of another nightmare. Yesterday he'd let the incident go. Everyone had nightmares once in a while but two in a row meant something was bothering you. Gage brought up his concerns over breakfast but Sydney told him everything was fine and refused to say anymore on the subject.

Now she was staring out the side window chewing on her lower lip, a sign Gage had come to know meant she was worrying. He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it. She'd only clam up again and he'd end up more frustrated. He decided to ask Walker and Trivette about it.

"Hey guys, I need to ask you something strictly off the record," he started as they headed out to Walker's truck to go question some witnesses.

"What's up?" Trivette asked.

"Well for the last couple of nights Syd's been having these nightmares."

"How bad?"

"Pretty bad; she wakes up crying."

"What are they about?" Walker asked.

"Well, that's the thing. She won't talk about it. I tried bringing it up and she just shuts down."

"Sydney's a strong woman. She's not going to admit she needs help very easily," Walker paused to think. "Give it another day or two. If it happens again you're going to have to get her to talk. It's very rare that a reoccurring nightmare goes away on its own and if anyone can help her get over it, you can."

"Sydney's tough," Trivette added. "She'll be okay. Don't worry too much."

"Man, I hope you're right," Gage said shaking his head.

As the day went by Gage started to think he was overreacting and making a big deal out of nothing. Still, that night he was hesitant to leave her.

At around 10, he pushed his chair back away from the table where they'd been playing Rummy and yawned. "I guess I should probably head home."

Piling the cards back into a deck, Sydney looked over at him. "What, are you afraid if you don't leave now, you'll lose your dignity?" Rummy wasn't his strong suit and Sydney had been racking up a lot of points across the course of their game. After a brief pause she continued, "You know you can always crash here again tonight."

Leaving the question of his pride unanswered, he replied, "You sure you're not sick of me?"

"Francis, I got sick of you a long time ago so one more night shouldn't hurt."

If Gage didn't know better, he'd say she wanted him there. It seemed like she was afraid to sleep alone but because he did know better he avoided saying any of that and just agreed to stay.

* * *

After Sydney fell asleep, Gage laid awake for a while. He still couldn't believe that the raven beauty in his arms was his. He'd know he'd loved her for months but he never thought she'd feel the same way.

He started thinking about the future and what it might hold. He knew he wanted to marry her and to have a family, one like he'd never really had growing up. He'd known a lot of women in his life but Sydney was the first he'd met who made him want those things. He'd gladly give up his bachelorhood if it meant he got to spend the rest of his life with her.

As some point, Gage nodded off. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep but he awoke to Sydney murmuring in her sleep. He lay there for a minute before realizing it was another nightmare.

"Syd." He sat up on his elbow and put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on Honey, wake up."

As soon as his hand made contact, her eyes flew open and she shot straight up in bed, the word "No" on her lips. Gage sat up with her and coaxed her into lying back down. She did and like the last two times, she folded herself into his chest, crying and holding on for dear life.

Gage rubbed her back, his hand making circular patterns across the fabric of her shirt. He was quiet except for the occasional soothing word, all while thinking that this was the final straw – the dreams would end tonight. He let her drift back to sleep, vowing not to let her leave this bed in the morning until he found out what was bothering her.

* * *

If Gage thought he didn't sleep much before the nightmare, he slept even less for the rest of the night. He was too busy rehearsing how to break through Sydney's line of defense to get her to talk to him. That's why Sydney's response when he approached her shocked him.

He woke up only a few minutes before her. At first they just lay there, too comfortable to move but then Gage spoke up. "Syd, we need to talk."

Sydney rolled over to face him. "I know. You want to know about the dreams."

"Yeah, but I also want to know why. What's been bothering you this past week?"

"I don't know. I guess I've just been scared."

"Of what?"

"Losing you." She looked up and saw the confusion on his face. "You went back on active duty – without me there to protect you."

"Syd, I wasn't alone out there – I had –"

"I know," she said cutting him off, "but we both know that's not the same. And now that we're together, the thought of losing you is almost more than I can bear. When you walked into the office the other day with that bruise on your face I just panicked. I know that's hard to believe but I did. And then I started having those dreams – I kept seeing you shot or hit by a car or back in the crash and every time I couldn't help you so you died."

By this point Sydney was talking so fast that she could hardly catch her breath. Gage pulled her close and kissed her forehead, his fingers running through her hair. "I'm not planning on dying anytime soon. Just think, your cast is coming off in a few days and after some physical therapy, we'll be out there catching the bad guys together again." He pulled back to look straight into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? It took me long enough to get you and I'm not about to let go without a fight. I promise I'll always be there for you – I love you."

"I love you too."


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I didn't own them at the beginning and even now at the end, they're still not mine.

A/N: This is the end. As a whole, the story turned out nothing like I expected it to but I like it a lot better than my first version and I hope you enjoyed it too. Thanks to everyone who read my story and a triple thanks to those who took the extra two seconds to leave me some feedback. Every review I received made me smile. So if you really want to make me a beyond happy writer, hit that button at the bottom of the page and leave me a few words :)

.Chapter 14

* Valentine's Day*

The worst day for Valentine's Day to fall on had to be a Monday. No Ranger wanted to spend it fighting crime seeing as their thoughts were too focused on the night's plans. But thankfully the bad guys were feeling the love and had taken the day off. Everyone was planning on taking off a few hours early.

Sydney's thoughts had been on this day for a week now, wondering what Gage was planning. Things had only gotten better after the talk they had the other morning. Sydney still worried about Gage but the nightmares had stopped and the end was now in sight. He cast was off and she had gone to physical therapy a few times; she'd be back on the streets by the end of next week.

At 2, everyone was more than ready to leave. They all rose to pull on their coats but Walker stopped Gage and Sydney. "Oh, I almost forgot, I've got something for you two." He handed over a large envelope with their names on it.

"What is it?" Gage asked as Sydney tore it open and pulled out a single sheet of paper. She read it and her face lit up. "What?"

"It's from the upper offices – we're allowed to remain partners."

Gag swept her into his arms and spun her around. "That's great!" Setting her back down, he kissed her soundly.

"Gage!" she protested. "We'd better not if we don't want them to change their minds."

He stepped back, dropping his hands to his sides. "Right." He turned to Walker, "Thanks Boss," he said shaking his hand.

"Don't thank me, you two made it happen. Congratulations."

"Yeah, congrats you guys," Trivette added, "But if you don't mind I've got a Valentine's dinner to cook so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah I have to head out too," Walker said, grabbing his hat. "Have a good night."

"You to Walker," Gage and Sydney called after him.

As the door shut behind him, Sydney turned to her partner. "So what are the plans?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Ah, ah, ah. In good time, Shorty. To start, I'll drop you off at your place. You're going to need something a little more formal that that," he said gesturing to her jeans and button up shirt. "I'll pick you up at 7."

"Where are we going?"

"Nope. Now let's go." Gage put his arm around her shoulders and ushered her out the door.

* * *

As requested, Sydney was ready and waiting at 7 pm. She had on a black dress that fell to just above her knees with a white sash around her waist. She pulled her hair into an updo but left a few curls out to frame her face.

She heard a knock at the door a few minutes after 7. When she opened it she was stunned to see her partner in a tuxedo. By the looks of things she'd had the same effect on him.

"You look beautiful," he declared stepping into the apartment.

Sydney flushed with pleasure. "You look pretty handsome yourself."

"Thanks. You ready?"

Sydney nodded and reached for her wrap, which Gage helped her with. Then he offered his arm and they walked out to the car.

"So I guess it's still pretty pointless for me to ask you where you're taking me."

Gage smiled. "You'll find out when we get there."

Sydney gazed out the windshield trying to guess where they were headed by the direction they were going, her hand enclosed in Gage's neither willing to break contact. She watched in shock when ten minutes later they pulled up in front of one of the finest restaurants in Dallas. The look on her face was enough for him to know he'd made the right choice.

Dinner was delicious and romantic and perfect. Sydney couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this happy, not to mention loved. The drive back to Gage's apartment was much like the one to the restaurant. Sydney knew Gage wouldn't put that much effort into dinner and not plan something for later. He suspicions were correct.

Gage's apartment was covered in unlit candles and rose petals. A fresh flower arrangement was already in a vase on the counter.

Sydney walked in, in awe of what he'd done for her. She set her clutch next to the vase and looked around. "Gage, this is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it." He headed over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of wine. He handed it to Sydney along with two glasses and told her to go sit down. After lighting the candles and turning out the lights, he joined her.

They opened the bottle and Gage offered a toast – to them –and Sydney gladly drank to it. "Oh, I almost forgot," he said setting the glass on the coffee table and jumping back up. He returned with a dish of chocolate covered strawberries. Sydney smiled and helped herself.

"Syd?" he started, sitting back down beside her.

"Yeah?"

"Umm I want you to know that I love you – so much. And someday I want to marry you and have a family but I want to take it slow. We have our whole lives and I want to savor every minute with you that I can. With that being said I have something for you." Gage reached down alongside the couch and brought up a jewelry case.

Sydney took it and turned it over in her hands a few times before sliding off the top. She looked in and looked back up to Gage's smiling face before pulling out a chain – with a key attached. "Is this?"

Gage nodded. "Will you move in with me?"

Sydney broke into a radiant smile and threw her arms around him. "Yes!" She placed a warm kiss on his lips before leaning back to look at the key – her key. "You know, this definitely beats the cowboy hat I got you."

"Nah. I got you and that's better than anything."

"Really? Because I was just thinking about how there's actually one other thing I want."

"What's that?"

* * *

Early the next morning, the couple drove to Ranger Headquarters – way earlier than they needed to. Gage was still in shock over what Sydney wanted from him. When she'd said sparring the night before he thought he'd heard her wrong, so she repeated slowly and clearly.

"I want to kick your butt in the Ranger Gym."

"What about your leg?"

"My therapist said it's fine. I already talked to her about it."

Gage still wasn't sure – he didn't want to hurt her.

"Are you sure you want to do this today?" he asked as they strapped on their gear. "We can wait until you're done with physical therapy."

Sydney shook her head. "Nope. Today Francis."

He was still hesitant as they stepped into the ring. "We should probably take it easy," he said walking backwards so he could face her.

Sydney didn't reply. She danced around him on her toes a second before delivering her first blow – a roundhouse kick to the head which sent him sprawling to the floor. "Suit yourself," she grinned.

"Oh that's it, Shorty." Gage dived into her legs, taking them both to the floor.


End file.
